Vol. 527 No. 5
45 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Health and Children the steps he is taking to ensure that those working in children's residential centres have proper training having regard to the finding in the first report of the Irish Social Services Inspectorate that almost two-thirds of those currently working in such centres did not have any professional qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28934/00]
The social services inspectorate, SSI, published its first report of findings relating to inspections of children's residential centres in October 2000.
It was noted in the report that, in most centres, the majority of care posts were designated as assistant house parent, for which there is no specified professional qualification required.
Although a substantial proportion of care staff do not have recognised qualifications for residential child care, it is encouraging to note that they do have between them a wide variety of other educational and vocational qualifications, which are undoubtedly useful to them in their work with children. The qualifications include degrees in subjects such as social science, psychology and social psychology as well as diplomas and certificates in counselling, child protection and welfare, youth and community work, sports leadership, applied social studies and a range of nursing qualifications including general, psychiatric and mental handicap nursing.
The expert group on various health professionals recommended "that child care workers be accorded professional status and as a consequence recruitment of non-qualified personnel must eventually cease". In pursuance of this a joint committee has been established to deal with issues arising from the recognition of the autonomy of the child care profession including "a complete review of the training available to child care workers, with a view to the introduction of nationally recognised professional qualification and provision of in service training".
I am concerned at the numbers of unqualified staff working in residential care. I have raised the issues highlighted in the report by the SSI with the chief executive officers of the health boards and have outlined to them my concerns in this area. The chief executive officers are in the process of establishing an implementation group to oversee the implementation of this and the other recommendations in the report and to ensure that best practice is widely disseminated.
In addition my Department chairs a steering group of senior health board and SSI officials which oversees the development of the SSI and will monitor progress on the implementation of the recommendations in the report of the SSI.
